Heyyyy, I went 5-0 in my picks this week. Not really much of an accomplishment, as it was possibly the most predictable week of UMAC football, but that also meant no upsets. Upsets are always fun. There are only three weeks of UMAC football left, and we've got some big and important matchups coming up, starting with next week. But first, lets take a look at last weekend, shall we?
Crown 15, Westminster 56 - I picked Westminster to take this one in a close game. I was definitely wrong about the close game part. It seemed like I was heading in the right direction, as Crown was actually up 9-7 with 7:22 remaining in the second quarter, but Westminster reeled off 36 straight points including 3 TD runs from QB Trent White, who ended the game with 137 rushing yards. Westminster RB Chase Abbington also added an 85-yard kickoff return for a TD at the beginning of the second half, along with 77 rushing yards and a score. Crown's only score after the start of Westminster's run was a 48-yard fumble return for a score by DB Sebastian Alvarado who pitched it to LB Jeremiah Jones. While Crown's offense isn't the worst in the UMAC, they haven't been reliable enough to win any games. That isn't likely to change next week, as they host St. Scholastica in a late season matchup. Westminster will travel to Greenville to take on the Panthers next week.
Greenville 19, Eureka 30 - Eureka continued their hot streak with a solid victory over Greenville. This was a fairly well contested bout, as Greenville was able to move the ball while the defense bent but did not break. Eureka's defense shined yet again, and LB Chris Friend was all over the field with 21 tackles. LeAnthony Reasnover paved the way for Eureka's offense, with 93 rushing yards going for 3 TDs and a reception that went for 46 yards and a score as well. Reasnover now has a school record 16 rushing TDs on the year, which also overtook MacMurray RB Chazz Middlebrook for the conference lead. For Greenville, QB George Harris threw for 147 yards and 3 TDs, 2 of them to WR Derek Griefzu. Eureka cruised to their 5th consecutive win, but face perhaps their toughest challenge yet next week in MacMurray. Greenville will host Westminster in an interesting middle-of-the-UMAC matchup.
Martin Luther 21, St. Scholastica 56 - Aha, there's the St. Scholastica we all know and love, or at least love to hate. CSS built up a 42-0 lead by halftime, utterly destroying Martin Luther's optimistic outlook on the season. They do have something to hang their hat on though, as they still have a chance at a winning season just a year post-0-10 season. Scholastica QB Zach Edwards threw for 242 yards and 3 TDs, 2 of them to WR Hunter Thompson, who ended the game with 107 receiving yards. Thompson now is tied for the conference lead in receiving TDs on the year with 7, and Edwards leads the conference in TD tosses with 17. CSS RB Ben Bethue scored 2 TDs on the ground and RB Jack Peru returned a kick 77 yards for a score and the Saints rolled over the poor Knights. Martin Luther QB Ian Paulsen managed 146 yards and 2 TDs passing, and RB Elliot Butler gained 87 yards and a TD on the ground, but to no avail. St. Scholastica heads to Crown next week to take on the Storm, while Martin Luther hosts Northwestern.
Iowa Wesleyan 7, Northwestern 29 - While Northwestern posted their highest point total of the year, they were still only able to muster 259 yards of offense. But that is apparently enough when your stifling defense holds your normally offensively competent opponent to 166 total yards and 9 yards passing. Iowa Wesleyan had to turn to freshman QB DeMarcus Collins, who wasn't able to get the passing game going but was able to scrounge up 112 rushing yards and a TD. On Northwestern's side, RB Payton Bowdry rushed for 92 yards and RB Dom McDew rushed for 2 TDs. More importantly on the defensive side, Northwestern's LB Gideon Burnham recorded 3 sacks, and three different players picked off three different Iowa Wesleyan passers. One of those defenders was DB Nick Swore, who leads the UMAC with 5 interceptions this year. Iowa Wesleyan looks to get back on track next week in a winnable matchup vs. Minnesota Morris at home, and Northwestern heads to New Ulm to take on the battered Martin Luther Knights.
MacMurray 49, Minnesota Morris 13 - MacMurray flexed their muscles against Minnesota Morris, racking up 522 yards of total offense on the way to their seventh consecutive victory this season. They start a tough stretch the next few games, with Eureka next week and St. Scholastica the last week of the year, so they will really find out what they are made of down the home stretch. Because I'm not a real sports reporter, I don't know for sure what happened to MacMurray RB Chazz Middlebrook, who only had 1 carry for 1 yard; I'm assuming he was lost to injury, and if that was the case, hopefully he will be back next week, as they will need him badly to take on the best defense in the UMAC. In his absence, MacMurray's offense kept rolling though, as QB Nathan Randall fed on the Morris defense with 364 passing yards and 2 TDs. MacMurray RB Marquez Ellison stepped up and ran for 116 yards and 4 TDs in Middlebrook's place, proving that this offensive line is a force to be reckoned with. MacMurray defensive star Javon Muhammad was held without a sack or TFL, but the defense held strong, picking off Morris QB Justin Masloski 4 times; 2 of them by DB Chris Blanchard, one of which went 84 yards for a TD. MacMurray host Eureka in a huge UMAC showdown next week, while Minnesota Morris treks to Iowa Wesleyan in a battle of 1-6 teams.
Here's what we learned this week:
Pretty much nothing. None of these games really showed us anything that we didn't already know, maybe save the absence of MacMurray superstar Chazz Middlebrook. The Mac fam better hope he is able to play next week, or hope that RB Marquez Ellison can be a formidable fill-in, as they face the #7 nationally ranked defense in DIII football. It's gonna be a fun ride, as the unstoppable force of the UMAC (MacMurray's offense) meets the immovable object of the UMAC (Eureka's defense).
I am now 23-7 in my picks for those of you who care (probably none of you), and I'm pretty darn proud of that. If it weren't for those meddling Knights of Martin Luther, I might be even better off. I've got a tough task ahead of me though, with these big-time late season matchups. I'll say that I will be 35-10 at the end of the year; I'll give myself one loss each week. #goals
Also, to vote for the UMAC Play of the Week which includes Crown's fumble recovery and Blanchard's interception return, check out this link.
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